29 of 37 homicides Black lives…Total triples from last month

The month of April added only four homicides to the growing list, but May has tripled that number with 12, forecasting the possibility of a deadly summer. The total for the year is 37. This time last year we were at 34. The most gut wrenching part of this month’s killings is that it included young men 35 and under, with all except for one being Black men.

William Harrington, 33, a man described as being friendly in other news reports, was killed while visiting his sister at her home in Rankin’s Hawkins Village housing complex. Calvonne Rollins, just shy of his 21st birthday, was giving someone a ride, when one of his passengers pulled out a gun and shot him. And Elden Harper, 35, was standing on the corner when his killer came up behind him and shot him in the head. These stories and the others on the list all have one thing in common-they did not have to happen.

Enough has got to be enough. We cannot afford to lose anymore of our young people to the streets. It is time to take action. Our streets have become a war zone. For years now the New Pittsburgh Courier has been issuing challenges to put a stop to this epidemic. This month we urge all to take responsibility on all levels—public officials, community organizations, churches and residents. It is time for everyone to put forth some action. The community meetings have been held, the ideas have been brought to the table and now it is time to take action. We all speak about it, now it is time to be about it. We cannot afford to lose any more.

As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the County each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well-being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods.

Out of the 37 murders, thus far, in 2012—29 were Black and 27 were Black men.

MAY HOMICIDES (6)

MAY 1—James Johnson, a 29-year-old Black male from Homewood, was shot multiple times, while inside his vehicle, outside the New Jug Bar, at 1504 Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln-Lemington, which he had just left. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Johnson had been acquitted of killing a North Braddock man six years ago. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MAY 1—Rontez Durham, a 26-year-old Black male from North Braddock, was reportedly shot while sitting on the porch of a home in the 400 block of Stokes Avenue in North Braddock. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MAY 5—Michael Parrotte, a 17-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was shot to death in the 1500 block of Hunter Street in Wilkinsburg. He died of a gunshot wound to the torso. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MAY 6—Donte Hawkins, a 20-year-old Black male from Verona, was found laying in the street with a gunshot wound to the back outside of the Trappers Club, 6505 Hamilton Ave., in Larimer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hawkins had been on summer break from a local university. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MAY 11—Calvonne Rollins, a 20-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was fatally shot while driving his car on Blackadore Avenue in Penn Hills. One of his passengers reportedly pulled out a gun and Rollins was shot. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Frank Booker. He is still on the run and is considered armed and dangerous.

MAY 11—Cody Ruder, a 21-year-old White male from West Mifflin, was shot and killed at the Mon View Heights housing complex on Midway Drive in West Mifflin. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Richard Krista has been charged with criminal homicide and is currently awaiting his trial.

MAY 11—Joseph Sherrill, a 19-year-old Black male from West Mifflin, was shot and killed in the Mon View Heights housing complex on Midway Drive in West Mifflin. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Richard Krista has been charged with criminal homicide and is currently awaiting his trial.

MAY 13—Shakkeem Harris, a 22-year-old Black male from East Liberty, was found lying face down with multiple gunshots wounds near the back of Joe Natoli Field, by 1600 Vilanova Rd., in Morningside, after allegedly meeting with Julian Davis to hang out and talk. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Davis has been charged with criminal homicide, carrying a firearm without a license and theft. He is currently awaiting trial.

MAY 20—Elden Harper, a 35-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the 700 block of North Homewood Avenue in Homewood. He was standing on the street when a male approached him from behind and shot him in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MAY 25—William Harrington, a 33-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was shot in the head at the Hawkins Village housing complex on South Braddock Avenue, in Rankin while visiting a relative. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he later died. Bernard Carter has been charged with criminal homicide and is currently awaiting trial.

MAY 26—Marshawn Ptomey, a 19-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the 300 block of Russellwood Avenue in McKees Rocks on May 24 and was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he died two days later. He had been reportedly shot during a confrontation with a male and female. The female allegedly shot him after he pushed her during the confrontation. Destiny Brown has been charged with homicide and is currently awaiting trial.

MAY 27—Derrick Brown, a 32-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest, by police, at a park on Strauss Street on the North Side. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

JANUARY HOMICIDES (6)

JAN. 1—Shateecha Roach, a 27-year-old Black female from Beltzhoover, was fatally shot while a patron inside Fever Night Club, in the Strip District, when a fight broke out and gun fire erupted. She was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where she later died. Three others were injured. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

JAN. 2—Chaz Anger, a 21-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was shot to death in the back and neck outside of a Brighton Heights apartment at 3437 Fleming Ave., in the North Side. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

JAN. 6—Mark Senay, a 40-year-old White male from Greenfield, found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in his home in the 1400 block of Bristol Street in Greenfield. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

JAN. 14—Daniel Peek, a 16-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was fatally shot during a family gathering at his home at the Parkview Manor Apartments in the 2500 block of Duquesne Place Drive, in Duquesne. He was reportedly hit by bullets that passed through the door during a gunfight in the hallway. No one was charged; the investigation is ongoing.

JAN. 24—Quinn White, a 24-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in the 100 block of Churchill Street in McKees Rocks. He had allegedly been walking home and in the process of making a call when he was killed. No one has been charged; th
e investigation is ongoing.

JAN. 29—Kevin Hill, a 31-year-old Black male from South Side, was fatally stabbed in the neck at a home at 120 Amanda Avenue, in Mount Oliver, after an alleged argument. He had been taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he later died. Donald Finnigan has been charged with the homicide and is currently awaiting trial.

FEBRUARY ­HOMICIDES (9)

FEB. 8—Melissa Bowers, a 36-year-old White female from Carnegie, was stabbed to death during a domestic altercation with her on and off again boyfriend at a home on Railroad Avenue in Carnegie. Jeffrey Maloy is charged with homicide and is currently awaiting trial.

FEB. 9—David Loftin, a 43-year-old Black male from Hazelwood, was found shot to death in the woods behind the Mon View Apartment Complex in West Mifflin by authorities who were searching for a missing man. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 10—Sean Blackwell, a 35-year-old Black male from Manchester, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest in the kitchen of an apartment in the 1700 block of Termon Avenue in the North Side, after an apparent drug deal gone bad. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 11—Roman Herring, a 21-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was found fatally shot inside of a car in the 1400 block of Hill Avenue in Wilkinsburg. He was with a friend. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 11—Leron Brown, a 21-year-old Black male from Wall, was found shot to death in a vehicle in the 1400 block of Hill Avenue in Wilkinsburg. He was found with Roman Herring. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 13—Donovan McKee, an 11-year-old Black male from Knoxville, was fatally beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend at the apartment where they lived, 107 Knox Ave., in Knoxville. McKee had allegedly been struck with Anthony Bush’s hand and several objects around the apartment, while his mother was at work. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, then later to Children’s Hospital, where he later died. Bush is charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of children. He is currently awaiting trial.

FEB. 22—Devonte Snowden, a 19-year-old Black male from Lincoln-Lemington, was found dead with gunshot wounds to the face in his vehicle in the 7200 block of Somerset Street in the Lincoln-Lemington area. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 23—Arron Crable, a 23-year-old Black male from Clairton, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Hi View Gardens Apartment at 6th Street in McKeesport. He had been greeting his sister, who had arrived in another vehicle, when shots were fired. He was struck in the trunk and his sister was also hit. His sister survived but he was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

FEB. 28—Michael Haines, a 31-year-old White male from East Pittsburgh, was found shot in the back of the head in the back of an abandoned Garda Cash Logistics truck, the company where he had been employed. It seemed to have been a heist. Along with more than $2 million, Haines’ partner that day was also missing, Kenneth Konias Jr. He is still at large. No one has been charged; the investi­gation is ongoing.

MARCH ­HOMICIDES (6)

MARCH 8—John F. Shick, a 30-year-old White male from Pittsburgh, was fatally shot by University of Pittsburgh police after he opened fire in the lobby of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Oakland, killing one person and injuring several others. His motive is unknown, but he reportedly had mental health problems.

MARCH 8—Michael Schaab, a 25-year-old White male from Regent Square, was shot and killed when returning to work from his lunch in the lobby of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Oakland. The gunman, John Shick, was killed shortly after committing the shooting, by University of Pittsburgh police.

MARCH 13—Angela Proctor, a 51-year-old Black female from Penn Hills, was fatally shot during an argument at her home on Westwood Road, in Penn Hills, when Andre Davis had allegedly come to buy drugs, but was enraged when he saw someone he had previously argued with was at the residence. Proctor was shot when she allegedly went to check on the noise, and so was her son. Davis is charged with homicide, aggravated assault and a firearms violation. He is currently awaiting his trial.

MARCH 13—Manning Proctor, a 22-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was shot to death when an argument broke out at his home on Westwood Road in Penn Hills. Andre Davis had allegedly come to the home to purchase drugs and became upset when he saw someone he had a previous dispute with at the residence. Proctor and his mother, Angela, were killed. Davis is charged with homicide, aggravated assault and a firearms violation. He is currently awaiting trial.

MARCH 25—Deontay Smith, a 17-year-old Black male from East Liberty, was fatally shot multiple times, a majority of them to the head, near Inner City Ministries in the 500 block of West St. Clair Street. He had been walking with a friend, when a male approached and opened fire on him. The friend fled and was unharmed. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

MARCH 31—Mary Manning, a 71-year-old White female from Whitehall was found dead by authorities in the family room of her Whitehall home, where she lived with her husband in the 1100 block of Brant Drive. Authorities had been responding to a call when they found Manning’s husband, Joseph Manning, outside of the home, covered in blood and holding a bloody object. After refusing to drop the object, he was Tased. Manning died from blunt force trauma to the head. She had allegedly been beat to death with a pipe wrench. Joseph Manning is charged with criminal homicide. APRIL ­HOMICIDES (4)

APRIL 2—Kevin Buchanan Jr., a 19-year-old Black male from the South Side, was fatally shot in the chest at a relative’s home in the 1500 block of Conway Street in Arlington. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he later died. Ronald Williams has been charged with criminal homicide.

APRIL 6—Shawn Januck, an 18-year-old White male from Wilmerding, was shot in the head in the kitchen of a home on Lydia Street in Wilmerding. Seth Dillon has been charged with criminal homicide and a firearms violation. He allegedly tried to cover up the homicide. Dillon is awaiting trial.

APRIL 16—Don Jones, a 19-year-old Black male of McKeesport, was found fatally shot multiple times in the street near the intersection of Ferndale Avenue and Catherine Street in Duquesne, after reportedly being with friends. He was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.

APRIL 21—Ricardo Cooper, a 30-year-old Black male from East Liberty, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in his East Liberty home in the 600 block of North Euclid Street. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.